Something's brewing with B-17 bomber in Salem

The B-17 Flying Fortress that once was a landmark at a gas station on SE McLoughlin Boulevard in Portland is being restored in a hangar at Salem Municipal Airport.(Photo: CAPI LYNN / Statesman Journal)Buy Photo

Opening a museum is not nearly as mind-boggling as restoring a World War II bomber to flight condition, but it's still daunting.

Organizers of the B-17 Alliance Museum have had to delay its grand opening until Saturday, June 13, at Salem Municipal Airport. Originally planned for April, the opening will now be held in conjunction with an already scheduled fly-in fundraiser.

"We needed more time to get things set up," said Sean O'Brien, board member and co-operations manager for the B-17 Alliance. "We wanted to make sure when we do it that it looks nice and is inviting."

Volunteers have been busy remodeling parts of the 64,000-square-foot hangar that will be home to the museum. Already inside is the B-17 Flying Fortress that for six decades was a landmark at a gas station on SE McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie.

Space is at a premium in its new location, so volunteers also have been busy devising ways to best display the dismantled pieces of the plane. Heavy-duty steel racks have been installed in one corner for the engines and vertical steel frames will be built for the wings.

Much of the work is being done on weekends because so many of the volunteers for the nonprofit B-17 Alliance have real jobs.

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The B-17 Flying Fortress that once was a landmark at a gas station on SE McLoughlin Boulevard in Portland is being restored in a hangar at Salem Municipal Airport.(Photo: CAPI LYNN / Statesman Journal)

Two events are planned before the grand opening, one at the hangar and the other at a local brewery. Here are the details:

Coffee and conversation for vets

The B-17 Alliance has vowed to involve the community throughout the restoration project, including holding monthly veterans' coffee events the third Thursday of every month.

The first one will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. April 16, at the hanger, which is on the west side of the airport near the restaurant. The events are open to all veterans and those who want to honor veterans. Coffee and pastries will be on the menu and guest speakers on the agenda.

A B-17 Flying Fortress, which has this emblem on the fuselage, will be restored in a hangar at Salem Municipal Airport.(Photo: CAPI LYNN / Statesman Journal)

The group has been holding monthly coffees in Milwaukie, the former home of the bomber, for about 15 years.

The speaker at the inaugural event in Salem will be Maj. Micah Lambert of the Oregon Air National Guard. Lambert will share the story of Air Force 2nd Lt. David R. Kingsley, an Oregon native who was a B-17 bombardier during World War II and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. The airport and Air National Guard base in Klamath Falls are named in Kingsley's honor.

For more information about the coffee events, contact Scott, (503) 654-6491.

Raising a pint and awareness

A celebration and fundraiser for the B-17 Alliance, including the official release of Santiam Brewing Company's Lacey Lady Session IPA, will be held Saturday, May 30.

Supporting the efforts of the B-17 Alliance and brewing a craft beer in honor of the bomber — nicknamed the Lacey Lady after Art Lacey, the man who brought it to Oregon in 1947 as a roadside attraction — is a natural for Santiam Brewing Company.

"Many of us are interested in military and aviation history," said Brian Kelly, one of the company's co-owners. "We're just trying to get the community aware of what's coming. We're going to have a cultural icon in Salem, plus a tourist attraction with the museum. It's in line with our corporate philosophy — make Salem cool."

One dollar from every pint and growler filled during the event, from 4 to 9 p.m., will go to the B-17 Alliance. A limited quantity of Lacey Lady commemorative pint glasses, filled with your choice of beer, will be available for a $25 donation to the B-17 Alliance.

The donation also gets you photographs with pin-up girls and/or the bomber's restored ball turret, which will be on display in the taproom, located in the business park at the corner of 19th and McGilchrist streets SE.

For more information about the event, call Santiam Brewing Company, (503) 689-1260.

"Forward This" highlights the people, places and organizations of the Mid-Willamette Valley. Contact Capi Lynn at clynn@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6710, or follow her the rest of the week on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

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The B-17 Alliance Museum, which will celebrate its grand opening on June 13, is housed in a hangar at Salem Municipal Airport. The group’s logo is on the hangar door.(Photo: CAPI LYNN / Statesman Journal)